Local Football Facility Plan Nottingham

Nottingham is in the East Midlands region.

The current population of the authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 329,209 This is expected to rise to 361,603 by 2039.

Nottingham's ethnic composition is primarily classed as White (71.5%). This is lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Nottingham’s population represented by the BAME community is 28.5%. This is almost double the national average (14.6%).

Nottingham is the most deprived LA in the East Midlands Region, and the 10th most deprived nationally according to the Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

Local authority

Nottingham City Council’s - Council Plan (2015-2019, revised 2016) highlights that over the previous five years it had made savings totalling £135 million. 2016/17 saw a £15 million cut in Government grant and further reductions are anticipated. The Council Plan has five key objectives, one of which is to 'cut the number of victims of crime by a fifth and continue to reduce antisocial behaviour'. With regard to Leisure & Culture specifically, the Council sets out a significant and clear aspiration to make Nottingham the fastest growing city for disability sports participation in England.

The Authority Playing Pitch Strategy was updated and adopted in 2018. The key findings and stated overarching priorities are to: increase the level of full-sized (11v11) 3G FTP provision in the City and to improve the quality of grass pitches at key sites via improved maintenance regimes, especially at key local authority sites.

In partnership with Sport England and Active Partners, the Council is presently exploring opportunities to undertake new work around community engagement similar to that being applied in Sport England local delivery pilots. In the case of Nottingham it will be undertaken on a smaller scale - at ward level. The detailed level of insight generated may lead to the identification and development of potential projects for investment that are additional to those identified in this iteration of the City's LFFP - based upon their ability to enhance specific football and social outcomes.

County football association

Nottingham is covered by the Nottinghamshire County FA. It provides governance for, and development support to, all aspects of local football including coaches, referees, volunteers, clubs and leagues; supporting football for all. It has a designated facilities investment lead officer who works to ensure the right facilities are located in the right locations.

Football Foundation

The Regional Engagement Manager and Regional Technical Project Manager at the Football Foundation work collaboratively with the County FA to provide pre-application support to priority projects for potential investment.

Sport England

Has a network of planning managers who have a statutory role in the planning system to protect playing fields and provide consultation responses to planning applications relating to sporting facilities . They also play a key role in strategic planning for sports facilities, providing advice and support to local authorities to assess need for facilities in their local area.

Professional community club organisations (CCOs)

These continue to expand and enhance their range of community delivery, offering a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). Both Nottingham Forest Community Trust and Notts County Football in the Community run a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities in the local area.

Local leisure operator

Active Nottingham is the key leisure operator in Nottingham. It currently runs eight sports centres, two of which also have or serve accompanying outdoor football provision, they are:

• Harvey Hadden Sports Village - ancillary provision services adjacent pitches at Bilborough Park and within the onsite athletics track.
• Southglade Leisure Centre - ancillary provision supplements adjacent pitches at Southglade Park as well as onsite 11v11 3G FTP and full size sand based artificial grass pitch. The future management model at this site is to be reviewed.
  

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Nottingham. A total of 16 individuals (representing 14 local organisations) were spoken to. Agencies consulted include:

• Wollaton Hall & Bramcote FC
• Education FC
• The Pythian Club
• Nottingham Sikh Community & Youth Service

(See Appendix B for full list of consultees)

There are over 91,000 community football teams in England, spread over an expansive network of clubs and leagues. Nottingham City has a total of 545 teams, which is lower than local areas of a similar size.

The FA is investing to support clubs both on and off the pitch which includes an aim to have a qualified FA coach with every youth team by 2020/21. In addition, it will support 1,000 clubs to create full player pathways from youth to adult teams and develop 150 community football hubs with male and female pathways, disability and recreational playing opportunities.

Over the last 10-years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In Nottingham City, 13 clubs have more than 10 registered teams. These (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

• Sherwood - 27 teams
• West Bridgford Colts - 26 teams (Rushcliffe based club however 21 of their teams play matches within Nottingham City)
• Wollaton Hall & Bramcote - 21 teams
• Basford United Community – 21 teams
• Dunkirk - 20 teams
• Clifton All Whites - 19 teams
• AFC Vernon - 14 teams
• Pelican Colts Youth – 13 teams
• Education Youth - 12 teams
• Bulwell Athletic - 11 teams
• Bulwell Forest - 11 teams
• Nottingham Forest Girls and Ladies - 10 teams
• Nottingham FC – 10 teams

Sixteen leagues operate in Nottingham. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, disability, youth and adults. The City's largest local leagues (2017-18) include:

• Young Elizabethan League (YEL) Saturday – 627 teams – home and away
• Young Elizabethan League (YEL) Sunday – 406 teams – home and away
• Nottinghamshire Girls and Ladies Football League – 154 teams– home and away
• Notts Youth Football League Saturday – 147 teams – home and away
• Notts Youth Football League Sunday– 98 teams – home and away

The County FA reports relatively low levels of cross boundary team migration to/from Nottingham.

Disability football

There are 9.4 million people in England with a long-standing limiting disability, illness or condition which equates to 18% of the population – almost one in five. Football playing opportunities should be flexible, inclusive and accessible for everyone, whatever their level of ability. This could entail inclusion in mainstream activity or teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability.In Nottingham there are 30 football teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the County FA to sustain this provision. For talented players the FA runs regional centres and England national squads.

Women and girls

The FA has big ambitions for the female game and aims to double levels of participation by 2020. To achieve this requires a combined effort across four pathways: education, recreation, competition and talent.

Education environments have a huge impact on the first experience of football for young girls. This pathway can offer many opportunities for females of all ages to develop and grow a lifelong interest in football.

FA Wildcats girls football centres provide the first step on the recreational pathway, the programme provides girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football in a fun and engaging environment. Nottingham has three FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 37, Nottingham’s number of female teams is lower than local areas of a similar size. The County FA’s priority is to support existing clubs to grow and encourage more clubs to develop playing opportunities for females. The local girls’ league is the Nottinghamshire Girls and Ladies League in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It is expected to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Nottinghamshire Girls and Ladies League. It too plays matches on a home and away basis; it is expected to sustain its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Nottingham Forest RTC located in Basford. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads. The nearest Women’s Super League team is Birmingham City Ladies which provides player pathway opportunities for gifted and talented female players and a spectator interest for fans.

Small sided football

Many different types of small-sided football are played in England, from teams and leagues to recreational and informal. It is an established and important part of the modern game.

Small-sided teams and leagues are organised and competitive activities; typically with players registered to clubs and affiliated to leagues and their County FAs. Examples include Futsal and local small-sided leagues running at venues such as sports halls, 3G FTPs or small-sided 3G centres.

Key local providers include

• Powerleague Nottingham
• Astro Kings (Harvey Hadden Sports Complex)

Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced, small sided team game that is widely played across the world. Typically it is played on an indoor surface with hockey-sized goals and a size 4 football with reduced ball bounce. It is the FA’s aim to ensure Futsal is available across the country.

There are currently eight futsal teams in Nottingham. These play in the Open Age Nottingham Futsal League and key site locations include Nottingham High School. It is a priority for the County FA to grow Futsal for all players.

Recreational football

Recreational football is played where facilities are typically booked and there might be someone to help organise. Examples include FA Just Play sessions, walking football and casual pitch hire for small-sided match play.

There are currently five FA Just Play Centres in Nottingham. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as sessional organisers in association with Nottingham Forest Football in the Community. Walking football and Just Play are County FA priorities for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include Man vs Fat, small sided football, futsal, six disability turn up and play sessions and Community Trust sessions delivered by a range of organisations including Powerleague, NDFF, Astro Kings, Notts County Football in the Community and Nottingham Forest Community Trust.

Informal football

Informal football is played in local parks and green spaces – it is free, open access and often played spontaneously (normal clothing is worn). Common examples include a kick-about at a local park or on a multi-use games area (MUGA).

Currently, informal football in Nottingham is played particularly in the north and central part of the Authority. Forest Sport Zone, Harvey Hadden and Powerleague are key heavily used site locations.

The key strengths of local football in Nottingham include three central venue disability leagues, affiliated youth league provisions and intra-mural university flexible football offer provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, gaps in provision do exist, these include the recreation football offer as well as the formal game.

It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Nottingham are:

1. Walking Football
2. Futsal development
3. Engagement / CV informal 'jumpers for goalpost' league to engage with areas of high social deprivation and low accessibility
4. Increase the accessibility and opportunities for girls within the Wildcats programme
5. Training facilities to allow for the increasing demand within the mini soccer and youth game

The facilities required to assist this are now set out in the Assets and opportunities section.Each priority project that progresses to a funding application via the Football Foundation will produce a detailed ‘site development plan’ specifying all football development activity, usage and key partner engagement.

This section reviews existing football facility assets in Nottingham. It identifies current issues and presents opportunities for improvements, including a list of priority projects for potential investment.

Local assets and opportunities have been reviewed in line with four investment priorities:

• 3G FTPs
• Improved grass pitches
• Changing room pavilions / clubhouses
• Small sided facilities

To ensure a consistent and high quality approach, each local area has been reviewed applying a standard approach, supplemented by input from consultation with local partners and stakeholder organisations.

While each investment priority is reviewed individually, it is understood that they can be inter-reliant; account is, thus, taken of these potential connections.

3G FTPs are a high quality and indispensable part of modern football facilities; their impact cannot be underestimated. In recent years the industry has seen major innovations and improvements to artificial surfaces (and sports lighting). This has created playing surfaces that replicate a good standard natural turf pitch whilst significantly increasing levels of use (x20). All FTPs must have sports lighting to achieve this.

The high quality, consistent playing surface is the ideal environment to play the game and for young people to learn. With regular maintenance programmes, FTPs can be heavily used all year round with no decline in quality. They almost completely negate annoying fixture cancellations during winter months, helping football to be a key part of a regular physical activity habit.

High capacity levels offer a great opportunity to embrace all formats and engage all participants. A full-sized 3G caters for an average of 1,200 participants per week and is suitable for various location types. That means being fully inclusive to all sections of the community, with a particular focus on under-represented groups such as women and girls, people with a disability, BAME communities and people from lower socio-economic groups.

The way 3G FTPs are used is rapidly changing; current line-marking systems allow for match play across all formats of football (5v5, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11). This enables significant levels of match-play to be transferred from grass to 3G.

The Nottingham PPS was updated in 2018 and is, thus, an up to date evidence base. It indicates that there is a shortfall of four full-sized (11v11) 3G FTPs.

There is however case for a fifth additional 3G pitch should a potentially viable scheme arise in future in the central area of the City. This is because Forest Recreation Ground is programmed for a significant proportion of community delivery delivered by Nottingham Forest Community Trust aside from affiliated team training. It is strategically important for the site to continue to function in this way, therefore reducing capacity for team training which could potentially be provided elsewhere.

In addition to the shortfall of 3G FTPs two current 3G FTPs need to be replaced.

The existing full-sized 3G FTPs in Nottingham include:

• David Ross Sports Village - University of Nottingham
• Jubilee Campus -University of Nottingham
• Lee Westwood Sports Centre (Nottingham Trent University)
• Mill Street Recreation Ground (Basford United FC)
• Nottingham College (Clifton Football Centre)
• Southglade Leisure Centre
• The Forest Recreation Ground (Forest Sports Zone)

There are also two small-sided 3G FTP centres in Nottingham:

• Powerleague Soccer Centre - 5v5 3G FTPs x13, 7v7 3G FTP x1
• Astro Kings - 5v5 3G FTPs x5, 7v7 3G FTP x1

Four of the seven full-sized 3G FTPs are available for community use. It is recommended that opportunities for community use are explored at the three university sites; David Ross Sports Village, Jubilee Campus and Lee Westwood Sports Centre. These are technically available for community hire but in practice are not highly accessible as priority is 9understandably) given to student sport and university team training, including for other sports. Some community access is secured through formal agreement at Lee Westwood Sports Centre on one evening per week, as a condition of previously awarded Football Foundation funding. These sites are, thus, not regarded as part of the local 3G FTP supply and demand equation and additional pitches will be identified in lieu of this. All seven full-sized 3G FTPs in the City are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning that they are quality checked and can be used for football match play).

There is a likelihood that there will be a loss of access to the 3G FTP (and grass pitches) at Nottingham College (Clifton Football Centre). The site, which was previously invested in by the Football Foundation, is now up for sale, with the College having relocated its operation offsite. The pitches remain accessible for community use in the evenings and at weekends when staff open the venue, however it is reported by clubs that this is often late and can leave them without access to changing and toilet provision. Should the pitches be lost to development , there would be a need to replace them in addition to the already evidenced 3G FTP shortfall.

The geographic spread of existing facilities is relatively even. There are provision gaps in the south and central areas where there are high population levels and substantial deprivation. It is recommended that these are addressed. Local consultation reveals no common issues.

The RFU has aspirations to develop World Rugby compliant 3G pitch provision on at least one site in the South Nottingham/North Rushcliffe area. Consideration should be given to potential for a collaborative project if appropriate and the balance of capacity which would then be available for football and rugby union within such a scheme.

Seven priority projects for potential investment into 3G FTPs are identified.

Five priority projects for potential investment into 11v11 3G FTPs are identified, including three new 11v11 3G FTPs, one refurbishment of an existing 3G FTP and two possible conversions from sand based surfaces to 3G. One site is located in the North of the City and would result in delivery of one more 11v11 3G FTP in the City compared to the requirement evidenced within the PPS, however is located within a high IMD area and would also service the South Gedling area where there is a 3G deficiency.

Schemes for 3G FTP development in West Bridgford within the LFFP for Rushcliffe should prioritised in the meantime to provide 3G FTP provision for Rushcliffe which will be accessible to/from South Nottingham. Identified priority projects for 3G FTPs in West Bridgford within the Rushcliffe LFFP are considered to be more deliverable and developed at this point, whilst further work is required to develop the project at Victoria Embankment. This includes understanding where demand will be focused when new 3G FTP provision is installed, in order to identify where a potential second 3G FTP location in the South of the City may best be sited.

Each site was selected by local partners based on a rationale of good access, high population, geographic spread, success and quality of existing facilities, high levels of deprivation and/or a high proportion of people from lower social economic groups:

Playing fields are one of the most important resources for sport in England. All football players should have the opportunity to play on good quality grass pitches. However, FA data shows that 63% of pitches in England are poor / low standard and one in six games is cancelled. As such, poor pitch quality is consistently cited as the number one issue for players.

The priority is, therefore, to sustainably improve grass pitch quality across all main pitch owners (local authorities, education establishments and clubs). However, the level of maintenance required to obtain good quality standards is regularly affected by restricted budgets and limited knowledge/ training. Compaction and grass coverage are two key causes of poor quality pitches. Both are commonly treated via a maintenance driven solution (and do not necessarily require costly drainage schemes).

Playing fields are also a valuable resources for informal play and open-access sites are encouraged but, for many, problems such as dog fouling and vandalism mean that they need to be protected with mitigation measures such as fencing.

Often the key challenge is to create a sustainable approach to provide good quality football pitches for the long-term. Many local authorities (78%) intend to increase pitch hire fees in the future. However, the majority of players (63%) believe facilities are already expensive and some (16%) believe prices are prohibitive. A sustainable solution should, therefore, carefully balance pitch quality and affordability.

While the education sector (37%) and local authorities (32%) are still the principal asset owners of grass pitches, clubs / leagues own or maintain an increasing share (currently 25%). Assets and opportunities have been considered across each sector.

Although large (3+ pitch) strategic sites are important and make up much of the project list within the LFFPs, this does not mean that other club, league and community/voluntary sites are not important or eligible for funding. These sites are key to the Football Foundation's Grass Pitch Programme to deliver 20,000 good quality pitches.

For more information click here.

PitchPower

The PitchPower app is the gateway to any grass pitch improvement funding. It is the tool that will allow clubs and organisations to complete pitch inspections and access funds.

If you haven't signed up and completed a PitchPower pitch inspection, you will need to do this before you can apply for the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund.

Learn more by clicking here.

There are currently 21 grass pitch sites in Nottingham with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 93 grass pitches. Of these, six venues are considered to have good quality pitches, at nine they are of standard quality and at six they are poor quality.

Of the 21 key pitch sites referenced above 15 have been prioritised for improvements; affecting a total of 57 pitches.

Local consultation shows common issues with poor quality and perceived value at Local Authority managed and maintained sites and it is recommended that these are addressed. From April 2017, maintenance of Local Authority playing field sites was divided between the Parks Department previously responsible for all maintenance and four local neighbourhood teams which have now taken on maintenance responsibilities. The Council Parks department now maintains only larger multi-pitch playing field sites - which are:

• The Forest Recreation Ground
• Victoria Embankment and Harvey
• Hadden Sports Village (with Bilborough Park),

Local neighbourhood teams are now responsible for the remediation, reinstatement and mid-season maintenance of other key sites including, for example:

• Vernon Park
• Bulwell Hall Park
• West Indian Cavaliers Cricket Club (Birchover Park)
• Southglade Park.

Clubs report that the work being carried out at sites now managed by neighbourhood teams is of a lower standard than when the provision was maintained by the City Council. Pitch quality is reported to have declined as a result, reflecting noted concerns with regard to the fine turf knowledge and expertise of the personnel who now maintain the pitches.

Fifteen priority projects for potential investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by PPS and qualified by local partners. Prioritisation was informed by local partners with the rationale of selecting sites in the poorest condition, that had the most pitches, that were best utilised alongside the strategic focus to improve key Local Authority pitches.

These can provide a number of different benefits. While the primary function is normally the provision of changing rooms to accommodate match-play and training (for players and officials), there can be equal value in facilities such as community and education rooms, catering facilities and spectator toilets.

Each project will take a progressive approach to pavilions and clubhouses (beyond the provision of changing rooms) and be open to new opportunities to engage the whole community. That means, creating environments that are welcoming to players, spectators, volunteers, officials and all sections of the community.

Such assets should support other investment priorities (e.g. 3G FTPs and grass pitches) and be located at sites that will have the greatest impact on local communities. To ensure this, focus is given to sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents. However, as pitch quality is the number one priority for players this is prioritised before investment in changing room pavilions /clubhouses.

Clearly, facilities need to be well managed and maintained to keep them in a good state of repair. Consideration will be given to reviewing the best operator solution for key sites and the installation of revenue generating features such as catering facilities and community rooms. To achieve this, business plan support will be given to each priority project as it progresses to an application to the Football Foundation.

Of the 21 key grass pitch sites in Nottingham with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or deemed to be of strategic importance) 15 have suitable changing rooms, four require improvement/replacement and two have no facilities and may require a new changing room in future subject to growth in demand.

Highfields Park is presently serviced by changing provision at the Nottingham Hockey Centre, however anticipated growth in hockey use and distance from the building to the football pitches towards the South of the site may present a need for some form of ancillary pitchside provison. The exact type will depend upon future users; it may only necessitate toilet and storage facilities.The site is, therefore, identified as a priority project although access to onsite changing and shower facilities is presently available.

The Football Foundation is already working with Bilborough Town FC and the Council on a project to refurbish the trackside pavilion at Harvey Hadden Sports Village so that it is sufficient to meet National League System league requirements.

Seven priority projects for potential investment are identified:

Good facilities are important to all small sided football players, but it is important to understand the different formats of the small-sided game and the various facility types they relate to.

Research suggests that small-sided players in teams and leagues, and in recreational sessions, prefer a 3G surface type because it replicates a good standard natural turf pitch. These facilities have already been covered in the 3G FTP section of this LFFP.

Indoor environments currently accommodate 20% of football participation and are also popular with players in teams & leagues and recreational sessions . Indoor sports halls are most popular, along with some community halls and indoor 3G centres. Environments need to be engaging, have clear line-marking and the correct size goalposts.

Informal players require facilities that are open and free to access as this enables play opportunities that are often spontaneous. In these circumstances multi-use games areas (MUGAs) can be effective in areas of high urban population and limited green space. Such facilities can be modern, bright, creative and engaging. While this plan will identify suitable locations for such facilities, the design and specifics of the facility type can be agreed at a later stage with Football Foundation staff when projects are ready to progress to pre-application stage.

Parks and open green spaces are also important to informal play and require goalposts and zones that are free from litter and dog fouling.

There is a key challenge around access to indoor capacity for futsal (and opportunities to grow walking football), with futsal activity mainly driven by the two universities at their respective sports sites, although not at community level. An indoor futsal league runs at Nottingham Girls & Boys High School on Thursday evenings but the County FA reports that some of the teams playing are affiliated football teams rather than dedicated futsal teams and it, thus, caters for many of the same participants.

The Young Elizabethan League aspires to develop futsal by introducing a futsal offer within its league season. This may help to avoid the impact of poor weather on outdoor pitches thus keeping people playing throughout, whilst offering a different type of football opportunity. This would require access to indoor space and futsal goals, though further work is needed to understand where capacity exists to introduce and develop futsal where competitive facilities are required.

Separate to this issue, four priority projects for the improvement of indoor spaces have been identified, based upon opportunities to improve facilities to develop informal football in community settings, small sided and recreational football in community sport spaces and/or facilitate the delivery of professional club foundation programmes.

No potential opportunities for MUGAs are identified. This is in part because in some areas of the City, formal football facilities are used for informal football (either open to access or programmed delivery), such as Forest Recreation Ground or Southglade Leisure Centre. In the case of the latter, MUGAs in the area are reported to be sparsely used by local young people because of their preference to play on the sand based or 3G pitch at the leisure centre.

Two potential opportunities for improved parks and open spaces have been identified. In each case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of high urban population, with limited green space, a high proportion of people from lower social economic groups and corresponding high local demand for informal football.

Sport England recreational football mapping suggests that the following areas may have demand for additional small sided or informal football facilities:

• Aspley
• Meadows
• Broxtowe Estate & Cinder Hill
• Bestwood & Sunrise Hill
• Bulwell
• Sneinton
• St Ann's

Further opportunity for development and investment into parks and open green spaces may be identified via the forthcoming work on local delivery to be undertaken by the Council in partnership with Sport England. These may both add to or reinforce the areas/projects identified in the LFFP.

A range of local agencies and larger local football clubs were invited to participate in the LFFP consultation. Those that contributed are listed below:

• Business Development Manager - Nottinghamshire FA
• Engagement Manager - Football Foundation
• Planning Manager - Sport England
• Head of Parks & Open Spaces - Nottingham City Council
• Business & Strategy Officer - Nottingham City Council
• Community Sport & Partnership Officer - Nottingham City Council
• Strategic Director - Active Partners Trust
• Place Lead - Active Partners Trust
• COO/Deputy CEO - Nottingham Forest Community Trust
• Activity Manager - Notts County FC Football in the Community
• General Manager - Nottingham Forest FC
• Managing Director - Field Sports Management
• Founder - The Pythian Club
• Education FC
• Bestwood Park Church
• Bestwood & Basford Play & Youth Service Group
• Sneinton Town FC
• Sikh Community & Youth Service
• Wollaton Hall & Bramcote FC
• AFC Vernon